I don't care for the automap features.. I don't think I've ever seen one that works 100% right. Some of the Akai controllers for Live work all right, but i'd rather just do everything manually.. I don't have a NI product to my name right now, so getting the kontrol might be pointless for now, but I do like that they've expanded it to third party plugs.

I haven't yet found The One Controller that I'm looking for. I love the action on my ReMOTE 61 SL, but Automap sucks, and the controls generally feel crappy. The controls on the A-800 are better, but the keys suck. I was actually looking at NI's Kontrol last night and thinking, "hmmm... Fatar keyboard, you say...?"

I hate it when NI runs a sale and I'm broketh. I've got K9 Ultimate and they've been real proud of their upgrade pricing. Everything half off makes it more tempting. I was considering an S-Kontrol as well. I've got an Arturia KeyLab 61, a MiniLab, a M-Audio Keystation 88es and 49es so it's hard to justify another controller. I like the interation S-Kontrol has with Komplete, but I also like what Akai is doing with their controller. You can load any VST you have installed into it. Their VIP software seems to be chasing after MainStage's tail. I've been using Cantabile as a VST host for a couple of years. It's not pretty but it lets me use anything I have installed. Been lusting after MainStage but it being Apple only doesn't help me. This Akai VIP software looks to do the same thing. I wonder if they plan to sell it by itself or if it can only be had by buying their controller? Inquiring minds want to know.

ElectricPuppy wrote:I haven't yet found The One Controller that I'm looking for. I love the action on my ReMOTE 61 SL, but Automap sucks, and the controls generally feel crappy. The controls on the A-800 are better, but the keys suck.

I too am in search of The One Controller. I like everything about my very affordable M-Audio 61, except it doesn't has MIDI. Or a joystick.

I insist on those two options, so I seem to be limited to the ones of which ePuppy speaks. I hope to try them both @ gearfest. I suspect I'll be happy with the A-800 because that one offers everything that I want, and hopefully I'm not as picky about key feelage as others may be.

I'd love to have six or seven octaves, but I want light keys. Not even 'semi weighted'.

MACHINE MK3The classic modern production and performance system is now better than ever beforeElegant new designLayout was optimized on the basis of comprehensive customer and artist surveys to enable the fastest and most intuitive workflowContains a professional 96 kHz / 24 bit audio interface with stereo and microphone inputs as well as line and headphone outputsLarger pads make fingerdrumming even easier without losing the established feel of the MK2Search for sounds, edit notes or samples directly from the hardware via high-resolution color displays.The focus remains fully on the music and not on the computerUnprecedented integration with KOMPLETE and NativeControl standard (NKS) instruments, plus full VST / AU supportNew dedicated buttons for frequently used functions such as Note Input Mode, Lock, Macro and more4-Dimensional Push Encoder makes browsing and navigating even easierNew Smart Strip for a completely new feel to play: play chords like on the guitar or control MASCHINE's Perform FXPower supply via USB or supplied power supplyMany further improvements and optimizationsPrice: 599 Euro (identical to the MK2)Commercially available from 5 October 2017

COMPLETE CONTROL S49 & S61 MK2The fully integrated, smart keyboard controller for all virtual instrumentsElegant new design for improved, holistic workflowsHalf-Weighted 49 & 61 Fatar Keybeds with AftertouchUnprecedented integration with KOMPLETE and NKS instruments, plus full VST / AU supportTwo high-resolution color displays for a quick overview of instruments, presets, parameters and much moreLightGuide with RGB lights above each button allows to recognize single drum cells, key switches, chords, scales and more at a glanceRubberized pitch and modwheels, plus a freely assignable touch strip for even more creative possibilities4-Dimensional Push Encoder for one-handed navigation and soundbrowsingImproved layout with even more dedicated buttons for the most used software featuresImproved MACHINE integration as well as intuitive transport, mixer and edit controls for Logic, Ableton Live and GarageBand, Cubase and Nuendo will be released this yearPrice: S49 599 €, S61 699 €

Perhaps the most important first: The MK3 now has its own sound card (I hear a scene applause, as one knows it from Apple presentations?). It is a simple line-in / out plus an additional microphone input and a headphone output. Thus, Native Instruments is unquestionably fulfilling a heart of many users. The second obvious innovation: the MK3 now also has those high-resolution color displays, which until now have only been installed in machine studio. At all, the entire layout is a whole new look. Perhaps the most obvious change is that the space between the pads has become smaller and the pads are larger - a significant advantage in finger drumming. The former master section was also updated: Here, a single rotary push encoder (in the previous version, three potentiators) and corresponding function buttons were located here. This is followed by a touch strip, as already known from the Kontrol S series. Context-related tasks can be performed with various tasks - including pitch changes, modulations, parameter changes, notes input and arpeggios. With the new machine software, however, complete lock-state morphing of all (!) Parameters is possible. We've tried this at the presentation: it's really "gone" when a track to the break, infinitely changes its sound. I speculate that - after the omnipresent Trap-Note-Repeat Hi-Hats - the next big thing could become.

Back to Hardware: The whole look is now slimmer, more modern and much more elegant. This can be seen in details, such as the potentiometer buttons, the new typography and the considerably darker optics, but also the omission of superfluous elevations and depressions of the housing. The MK3 is only a single, angular black block. "Sharp-edged" is, by the way, to be understood in the wortinn, because the corners are really extremely pointed - I can imagine that they will be the one or other performers sometimes painfully. Obviously, the new displays, which correspond technically to those of the machine studio, are jumping into the eye. This means that the information density and depth that can be read directly on the device is significantly increased and now corresponds to what we have already been able to report on the workflow with Maschinenstudio.There are countless innovations, which should be mentioned, but we reserve the right for the full test, which you can read here soon. However, our first conclusion is consistently positive: Native Instruments has rarely had the feeling that user requirements have been incorporated directly into product development. Especially the integrated sound card should have been on the top of the wish list for almost all machine users. Pleasing also that the price remained stable the MK3 has the same list price as the earlier MK2. It may be a bit painful for users who have just bought their MK2, because the new version is unquestionably a "major update" - not a revolution, but a new development, the way how to use the machine Soft- and Hardware network works.

Komplete kontrol has also been modernized. Let's start from behind: The LED Light-Guide-System and the very good playable Fatar-Keyboard with Aftertouch remained. All drummers have experienced a change. Obviously here are first the two displays, which are identical with those of the machine studio. This makes, of course, an incomparably higher and more complex information density. This includes not only browsing the Komplete library, but also working with DAWs, NKS-compatible plugins, and VSTi plugins. They can all be commanded with the new controls.In a first demo at Native Instruments, it was already shown that both the transport functions as well as the mixer from Ableton Live can be controlled via the control keyboard and the mixer's level display can be visualized on the keyboard. Support for Logic Pro X, GarageBand, Cubase and Nuendo will follow soon. On the hardware itself, the new controller wheels fall into pitch and modulation. Here, Native do without touch strips and instead return to mechanical wheels, which are ergonomically advantageous, a little tipped away from each other. A horizontally oriented touch strip remains, which is occupied with various context-related tasks (including "strumming" of notes, arpeggios and control of modulations). Here, as in the case of the machine MK3, it should be noted that both device series are now completely bus-powered via USB and an external power supply is dispensed with.

Well I guess they end up being two different products for two different kinds of people.

Maschine is mostly for hip hop/R&B (90+% of their many expansions are in that genre, so that's gotta be what's selling). I guess some EDM people use it too, but most probably prefer other things.

Then the keyboard is probably for people who install Komplete on their computer and want to play it the same way people used to play Fantoms, Tritons and Motifs. As a ROMpler+synth. It kind of only makes sense for that market. I have to wonder if it's selling well - it must be, otherwise they wouldn't have released a new version...

o snap akai just released VIP 3.0 software for their range of advance keyboards lol

maschine and s-kontrol *are* 2 different products but that is an arbitrary decision on ni's part.

i did some looking into the "seamless integration" and it seems like, for now, you can't just fire up the komplete kontrol plug-in and use the maschine knobs to browse and control it (included with komplete)

if that's the case it might be a deal breaker.

if this is the case, i understand they are trying to protect their keyboard range and not canabalize sales but from a user perspective it's dumb.

i remember kore could only run a few instances before choking powerful mac pro towers. obvs i'd want more than 1-2 tracks in my beats and if i can only run the full machine plug-in and not a "mini-maschine" (komplete kontrol plug-in) then it's harmful to users